Playa de las Americas Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Ah, what a treat we’ve got, folks! The next couple of weeks are looking proper good here on the south coast. Let’s talk about Playa de las Americas, a solid beach-and-reef setup that’s consistently churning out waves. The water temperature is sitting at 75° right now, which is pretty much spot-on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

We start this Monday morning with a clean 3ft SSW groundswell, with a long period of 16 seconds, giving us moderate wave energy (375) and light offshore ESE winds. That is a beautiful picture. The sets will be well-spaced, making the paddle out easy, and the shape should be nice on the reef sections. As the day goes on, it gets even better – by afternoon it’s glassy with a 2ft SSW swell, still cruising on a 15-second period. This is the standout session of the week so far: glassy conditions, consistent lines, and the wind drops to nothing for a bit. Just pure, clean surf.

Tuesday brings in glassy conditions again in the morning with a 2ft, 14-second SSW swell. The energy dips a little (195), but the glassy surface makes up for it. The afternoon is a stunner: totally calm, glassy as a mirror, with a 2ft SSW swell and moderate energy (292). Another real good day for logging some smooth rides.

Wednesday morning stays clean with a light cross-off breeze and a 3ft SSW swell, 16-second period, moderate energy (343). Then Wednesday afternoon it goes glassy again with a 2ft SSW, 15-second swell – but now the wind shifts to a light SW offshore. That’s all you want for a solid afternoon surf.

Thursday morning is glassy, 3ft SSW swell, and a big jump in energy (419) – that’s moderate but building. The afternoon is offshore with a 2ft S swell at 16 seconds. Clean again. The south-facing swell direction is matching the optimum, so these are purpose-built waves for this spot.

Friday keeps up the good run with morning cross-off winds and a 3ft SSW swell (366), then afternoon cross-off with lighter 3ft SSW (278). These are all nice, user-friendly sizes for intermediates and advanced guys, and the long periods are giving shape. Just keep an eye out for crowds – this spot can get plenty busy, especially on the weekend.

Saturday morning is glassy with a 2ft SSW swell, but the energy fades a bit (191), and it’s described as “ordinary.” Still rideable, but not firing. The afternoon is a little smaller with a cross-off. Sunday sees the energy drop further – morning gets a 2ft S swell with glass (80), then afternoon is a cross-off with a 2ft S swell (75). It’s clean but small. Worth a paddle if you have a log.

Now, here’s the gap: from Monday, 24 August onward, the surf gets very weak. We’re talking 1ft or less for days, low energy numbers (below 100), and mostly poor conditions. That dry spell runs all the way through to Saturday, 29 August, with only tiny, weak swell and poor wave quality. Even with glassy or offshore winds, there’s just not enough push for a decent ride. It’s not just small – it’s flat for the most part.

On Sunday, 30 August, there’s a tiny 1ft NNW windswell, but the period is short and the energy is low. By Monday, 31 August, things perk up just a little: morning sees a 1ft NNW swell with a cross-off breeze and a touch more energy (68). The afternoon turns glassy with a 1ft SSW swell at 12 seconds and 94 energy – still not great, but a slight improvement. Into Tuesday, 1 September, it’s similar – small SSW swell with offshore winds, but nothing that’s going to get your heart racing.

So here’s the bottom line: Monday, 17 August, through to Sunday, 23 August, is your window. The best sessions will be this Monday afternoon, Tuesday afternoon, and Wednesday afternoon – glassy, clean, set waves with a solid SSW groundswell. The rest of the 16-day outlook is a stretch of flat or barely rideable surf, so don’t leave your board in the car past the 23rd unless you’re keen on a long paddle for nothing. Promising early on, but the second week is a tough one.

Keep it salty,
Rusty.

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